America’s tuition-free professional training school for gifted young dancers

Academic & Music Faculty

Shari BassAcademic Administrator

Shari Bass has a bachelor of arts degree in social psychology and a master’s degree in special education from Florida Atlantic University. In addition, she has a master’s degree in industrial/organizational psychology from the Florida Institute of Technology. She has taught at Boca Raton Community High School and has worked for many years as an education consultant and tutor. Ms. Bass joined HARID in 2013 as an academic mentor and was promoted to the position of academic administrator in 2016.

Ms. Bass is responsible for assessing the academic records of prospective students, developing academic progression plans, maintaining official student academic records and transcripts, and providing college and other guidance services for students and their parents. In addition, she prepares visa applications for international students and maintains their immigration files. Ms. Bass also continues to serve as mentor in HARID’s learning center and oversees the school’s library.

Michael LazzaroPrincipal Pianist & Music Coordinator

Mr. Lazzaro received a bachelor of music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where his honors included the William Kurzban Prize in piano and election to Pi Kappa Lambda Honorary Musical Fraternity. After graduating, he joined the Institute’s piano faculty and worked as an accompanist for the Cleveland Ballet. Prior to joining HARID, he was a company pianist for the Houston Ballet. Mr. Lazzaro oversees HARID ’s music studies curriculum and serves as accompanist for guest teachers. He made his conducting debut at HARID in 1993 and, as time permits, continues to make appearances as a performing artist.